


Betrayal Most Foul

by FightTheThorn



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Betrayal, Duct Tape, Gen, Light Bondage, Rope Bondage, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 15:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7689856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FightTheThorn/pseuds/FightTheThorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carver is looking to get the gang back together and catches Nick on his own. With very little threatening, Nick agrees to save his own skin at the cost of another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Caught Cowardly

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Luke tied up to a tree (from Telltale's TWD S2)](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/219370) by Bowen12a. 



> This was a commission for Carnath-gid on deviantart based on a picture he commissioned by Bowen12a.

Nick felt tense as he shuffled toward the old abandoned hut the group passed in their escape. There wasn’t a lot of time to search it thoroughly at the time. After all, Carver could be ruthless in his attempt to get them all back. 

It wasn’t supposed to be a long or particularly dangerous journey, so Nick offered to go alone with a shotgun. Even though he offered, Nick started to feel like he made a bad choice.

He checked his surroundings a few times, whipping around in a circle and keeping an ear out for any sounds before he headed inside the hut. There wasn’t a lot to see from the outside. It was just a small brown hut with two windows, dusty and nearly impossible to see inside. Just like everything else, it was neglected after the apocalypse hit.

Nick gulped as he approached the door. He put a hand against it and pushed, wondering if the group left it open as they hurried on through. 

His heart stopped. 

Carver sat on a lawn chair in front of him, legs crossed, sipping something from a bottle. Nick nearly dropped the gun, almost shot it off too. “C-Carver, you-”

Carver smirked, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward. The man who caused Nick no end of nightmares was in his forties, light brown hair, and a personality rife with anger and ruthlessness. He gestured with a finger. 

Nick started to back away, but met the resistance. He spun around and saw Troy with a pistol pointed at him. Again, he spun around and saw Carver still sitting there, watching him. 

“Come on, Nick. You’re not going to shoot.” He smiled at him and held out his hand for the gun. 

“I-I could…” Nick swallowed, looking over his shoulder at Troy, then to Carver, before he gave in and placed the shotgun in Carver’s hands. 

Carver nodded. “Good boy, Nick.” He popped the cartridge of the gun out and saw the two rounds inside. “Please make Nick a little more… comfortable, Troy.” Carver clicked the gun closed and stood.

Troy roughly grabbed Nick’s arms and forced them behind his back. Nick grunted and scowled. “Hey, go a little easy…” He shut up real quick when Troy growled at him. The handcuffs snapped around Nick’s wrists with a satisfying click. Troy reached up and removed a brown and black spotted bandanna from his neck and spun it a few times. He reached around and forced the cloth between Nick’s teeth and tied it tight behind his head. 

Nick grunted begged behind the gag, watching Carver nervously. Despite being bound, Nick stayed still with Troy’s hand holding him by his shoulder. 

Carver shook his head a few times. “You made a big mistake running off with Luke and the others, Nick. You’ll never make it out here. You’re a coward.” He walked forward and grabbed Nick by the jaw, pulling him forward so their faces were barely an inch away. “But, luckily for you, I have a way for you to come back to the group… and in my good graces.”

Nick nodded, grunting his agreement, a little too willing. 

Carver pulled out a knife and held it in front of Nick. Nick tried to move back a little, reflex mixed with fear. “You’re going to do away with your ‘leader.’ The one who started this whole mess.” He put it in Nick’s jean pocket and poked his index finger against Nick’s chest. “You kill Luke, and I let you, and your friends, back into the group. No making it up to anyone, it’s only been a month, I can just tell everyone you were out doing a mission for me.” Carver walked away, hands behind his back. “If you don’t kill Luke and bring everyone to me, I’ll just come kill you _and_ Luke and take everyone back myself.”

Nick sobbed behind his gag, shaking his head. He understood what he had to do, he didn’t want to die. Not here, not now. 

Carver glanced over his shoulder and grinned. “You’re so much better with that gag in your mouth. Not so annoying with your incessant whimpering.” He walked back over and passed Nick shotgun in hand. “Toss the key in here and leave him to free himself.”

Troy nodded. He pulled out the key and tossed it. It bounced off the ground and vanished under a desk on the other side of the room. “Good luck.” He chuckled, pushing Nick forward. 

Nick fell onto the floor and looked up as Troy and Carver closed the door.

He stayed there for a few good minutes. Nick closed his eyes and sobbed, not fighting the tears. God, they’d never escape him. He’d always come for them. There was no way he could get out of this mess. They run; they die. They fight; they die. Carver would go to any lengths to get them back and that meant they were all as good as dead. 

Except, Nick could save himself…. And everyone else too. One for the good of the group. He looked up, blinking out the tears from his eyes. Nick gnashed his teeth against the cloth and grunted, using his shoulder to pull himself up onto his knees. 

He managed to get to his feet and make his way over to the desk. Nick knelt back down and looked under the desk. Thankfully, the key wasn’t too far under the desk. Nick laid down on his side and started groping blindly for the key. 

It took a little while, but the key was in hand and he managed to get the handcuffs off. He groaned in relief, rubbing his wrists before he removed the bandanna from his mouth. Nick looked around, realising he couldn’t raise suspicion by not bringing anything back. 

He shoved the bandanna in his back pocket, his mind reeling. Nick shoved the handcuffs and the key in a black bag he found while rummaging in the hut. He also found some medical supplies, some books, and a few cans of food. Nick paused when he saw a bottle labeled chloroform on a shelf in the bathroom. He blinked a few times and decided to put it in a side pocket. 

“Maybe… I can avoid getting my hands dirty…” Nick slung the bag over his shoulder and took the knife from his pocket and placed that with the chloroform. He checked outside for Walkers, then headed back toward the group.


	2. Coward's Way Out

Nick peeked over the book he was fake reading to see Pete and Carlos walk upstairs to join the rest of the group in sleep. 

Only a day and a few hours since his one-sided ‘conversation’ with Carver in the hut. The sun was down and left the woods dark and menacing, hiding Walkers and other enemies from view.

He waited for a few minutes, letting everyone get settled in upstairs before he placed his book down on the coffee table. His eyes shifted to the stairs, on the upper deck, focused on the doors above them, and then to Luke. Nick made his way clumsily to where Luke sat on the floor working on some project involving the bullet casings. 

“Uhm... hey-” Nick cleared his voice, glancing upstairs quickly, “Hey, Luke… uh… can we talk a minute?” Nick rubbed his neck, not quite looking at Luke as he spoke.

With everyone in bed, Luke and Nick were the last two awake. Everyone else should be sleeping soundly in their beds. Hopefully. 

Luke glanced up and yawned, rolling his shoulders thoughtfully. “Hm? Yeah, I guess we can. What’s up? Something wrong?” He returned his attention to his project absentmindedly. Luke was a handsome guy with nice brown hair and small mustache, even when it was filthy from a week without a bath, nice tanned skin, and a thin body type. In a world without Walkers, he would’ve made someone very happy. Not like Nick, with dark circles under his eyes, long face, and sweaty appearance. It came with the cowardly personality. 

“Do… you mind if we go outside? Kinda feeling stuffy in here.” Nick looked to the window and noted how pitch dark it was. As long as the other rooms were darkened, Nick would manage to get everything done without much of a hitch. 

Luke looked up at that, following Nick’s eyes and pausing as he analysed the situation outside. He frowned, thinking about how much safer it was inside the cabin and how he’d much rather not, but he couldn't stay afraid forever and if Nick, of all people, was willing to go outside with all those things outside, who was he to say no? 

Besides, he was kinda feeling it too. The camp with Carter was cramped, even if it was fairly large. The feeling of foreboding always hung over them. Like rats in an experiment, but with no reward at the end. “Yeah, alright. Let me grab a light and gun.” Luke groaned as he stood up, feeling his muscles ache a little.

“Alright.” 

The moment he turned his back to Nick, he felt a grip on his arm. Nick twisted it up behind his back and pulled it up forcefully. Not giving Luke a chance to cry out, he reached around and forced a rag dipped in chloroform over his mouth and nose, pressing it down hard.

Luke’s shout was cut off before it even began. In his surprise, he took in a deep breath and could feel the effects almost instantaneously. His head began to swirl as he felt the drowsiness setting in. He would’ve overpowered Nick, but Nick had the element of surprise, and a firm grip on him. It didn’t help how he was pulling him back, putting pressure on his arm, and making him breathe in those fumes. 

Where the fuck did he _get_ chloroform?! The group didn't even have any in the med kit!

Luke managed to land an elbow in Nick’s side, freeing Luke momentarily. He rushed forward and felt his body going down in slow motion. Before he knew it, he was face down on the floor, his whole body heavy against the wood. He saw, more than felt, Nick shift him onto his back before pressing the rag to his mouth and nose again. 

Luke’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell unconscious.

Nick removed the rag and hid it under a couch cushion, snatching a bag with everything he needed and slipping an arm through the strap before grabbing Luke by the arms and pulling him out toward the door.

\---

Nick dragged Luke most of the way out into the wood. He tried to be careful, but his fear of being caught by the others overwhelmed him and he wasn’t gentle as Luke’s feet smacked against the wooden steps on the way down. He grunted as he heaved Luke out. Thankfully, Luke wasn’t large, not like Alvin. Nick took in a few deep breaths as he tried to collect himself to continue. The strain on his body with dragging Luke’s unconscious body was tiring. He took a minute to get his breath back. Nick shook his head and forced himself to continue. It wouldn’t be long before Luke woke up. He was a young guy, and the drug probably wouldn’t last too much longer. 

He hated it, but… he had to do this. Luke was always the smart one, the brave one, but Nick couldn’t help but feel afraid. His fear made him do stupid things, but this… he had made a deal. Under duress, but it was still the best deal. And he had to follow through with it, for the group. The moment the cabin was far enough out of sight, Nick picked Luke up and slung him over his shoulder, finding it was ten times easier getting through the thickets and the bushes in the woods when he didn’t have to worry about Luke’s arms or clothes getting caught on some loose branches. 

The tree he’d marked earlier wasn’t too far, but enough he felt comfortable no one from the cabin would hear or see what he was doing. He tried to put Luke on the ground gently, really he did, but he couldn’t balance the weight and Luke went tumbling to the dirt. Nick swallowed, hoped he was okay, cursed himself because it didn’t matter, and pulled Luke to sit with his back against the tree. 

Nick tossed the bag onto the ground and unzipped it, pulling out several lengths of brown threaded rope. He took Luke’s arms and pulled them behind the tree, crouching down. First he crossed Luke’s wrists, tying it vertically and then horizontally before tying off the knot nice and tight. Nick wasn’t one for perfection, but he had to make sure he did a good job, so he double checked the ropes. They were firm and tight, perfect. 

Next came Luke’s chest. After a few loops of rope, it ran out and he had to tie the knot. He grabbed another length of rope similar in size and repeated the process. 

By the time he started on Luke’s knees, his captive began to stir. He hurried to finish, wrapping the rope quickly, and finally finishing the knot underneath.

As Luke’s eye fluttered open and managed to get a good look at what was happening to him, Nick reached over and put his hand over Luke’s mouth and leaned in closer. Nick pressed a finger against his lips and shushed him. “I'm sorry, man. I really am.” He pulled out Troy’s bandanna from his bag and balled it up with his other hand before forcing it into Luke’s protesting mouth. He only managed a few mumbled words, to Nick’s relief. 

Luke wriggled in his bonds. The drug was probably still in effect, although obviously wearing off. Luke attempted to shout for help, but with the bandanna and Nick’s hand back over his mouth to keep it in, it wasn’t very effective. He first began screaming in anger, throwing in some unintelligible slurs about his mother and what a disgrace he was. Then he began to beg for his freedom, but it was all useless as Nick pulled out a roll of duct tape and started to rip off a few strips. He placed them over Luke’s lips one after another. Luke moaned and tried to move his head out of the way, whatever good that would do. 

Luke groaned again, his head rolling on his shoulders. He could feel his head begin to clear the more he struggled and, the more he could comprehend, the more he thrashed. 

Nick grabbed one more length of rope and tied Luke’s ankles together. He began to bind them horizontally, and then wrapped it a few times between his legs. “I'm really sorry about this, Luke.”

Luke scowled at him and grunted angrily in return. He tried to speak behind the gag, but nothing made sense. 

“Carver grabbed me while I was searching the hut we passed a while back…” He looked off in the distance, searching for walkers. “Threatened me, threatened everyone. He talked like he knew where we were holed up. It was only a matter of time before we got forced to go back to him. He said… he said he’d make it easier on us if I... “ Nick pulled the knife out of the front pocket of the bag and held it toward Luke. The knife looked huge in the moonlight, long like a bowie knife.

Luke pulled his legs in closer to his body as well as he could and snuggled up to the tree, shaking his head and making unintelligible protests. 

“I couldn't do it though… I couldn't do it last night.. I saw you and I… Couldn't bring myself to kill you. Not even for the group.” Nick let the knife drop to the dirt and put a hand on Luke’s knee. “Carter said you had to die. I had to do this. As long as you're out of the way here… I won't have to do it.”

Luke struggled, pulling at the rope and hitting the ground with his feet in protest. He shook his head and moaned, trying to tell Nick this wasn't the way. It wasn't a solution, they could escape, they could leave, they didn't have to go back to Carver. Nick didn’t have to kill him. Nick was always a coward, he never understood what bravery was. But Luke did. They were counter parts; best friends for a reason.

Well, obviously not anymore. 

Nick watched him for a few minutes, eyes taking everything in. He saw Luke bound to the tree and helpless. Luke wasn’t even able to stop Nick from doing this to him. There was no way the group would’ve worked. He rose off his haunches and stood, gazing around them. The moaning and groaning in the distance was close enough to be heard now, but they always seemed to know where their prey cowered. It wouldn’t be long now. 

“I can't kill you, but I can let them do it. Hell, maybe you'll escape or something and can find another group.” He swallowed and tears welled up in his eyes. “I'm sorry, Luke. I’m a coward, and you’re going to pay for it. If you’d been taken, you’d find some way out of this, but I don’t have your courage or your smarts. I hope you escape, Luke… God, I hope you escape.” Nick took off, quietly rushing through the brush, leaving Luke to plead after him. 

Luke watched as Nick left, the one person who single-handedly fucked him over and could have saved him. Well, that means he had to save himself. No way he was going to die here and let Nick get away with being a complete idiot.

He started working at the ropes, trying to reach the knot on his wrists first. He moved his wrists around a few times, hoping they would loosen and he’d find freedom quickly. They didn’t, so he tried different angles, moving his arm up but his other arm down. The tree turned out to be a big issue because it didn’t give him much room to maneuver. He rolled his eyes in exasperation and started looking for another way out. He moved his knees up and down, hoping he might be able to get the rope to move down to his ankles. 

He paused as he heard the groaning come nearer. 

Fucking Walkers. Fucking Nick. 

He swore, if he got free, he'd tie Nick to a tree and leave him no room for freedom. But that was _if_ Nick hadn't already completely screwed him out of a life. 

The rope wasn't going anywhere and his struggles came up fruitless. Danger was coming closer as he sat here helplessly. 

Luke exclaimed behind the gag as he spotted Carver’s knife on the ground. Nick left it in his pointless apologies. He immediately started trying to reach out for it with his feet, but it was just out of his range. 

Goddammit, mother fucker, arsehole, Nick!

He tried to turn his legs a little and grunted in victory as he caught the knife between the toes of his shoes. He edged it closer to him and couldn't keep from murmuring his happiness behind the gag.

Luke stopped. 

How was he going to get it to his hands? Or use it to cut him free? Luke felt his hands behind him to see if he could even touch the ground. He couldn't. It was just out of reach. Maybe he could free his legs, but that wouldn't do him any good with his arms the way they were. 

He sighed, pulling his body in closer and looking around him for signs of his impending death. 

The sounds were getting closer. He felt the fear settling in. 

The last thing he'd see, he thought, would be dead flesh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Carver, Luke, Nick, or any of the The Walking Dead franchise.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Carver, Luke, Nick, or any of the The Walking Dead franchise.


End file.
